The present invention relates to a fitness rope and more particularly to a fitness rope having utility both as a jumprope and as a stretch rope (the latter being useful in stretching-type exercises).
Whether at home or in the gym, one may wish to work out successively with a jumprope having a length of rope with a handle at each end (for aerobic conditioning and timing) and with an elastic stretch rope having a loop at each end so that one may work the muscles of a limb placed in one loop against the muscles of another limb or a fixed support placed in the other loop. Traditionally, these are two separate piece of equipment, and a user must exchange the pieces of equipment involved in order to switch the exercise mode between jumprope and stretch rope.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,010,015 and 3,415,515 are representative of the prior art attempts to provide a "fitness rope" which combines the features of a jumprope and a stretch rope, thereby permitting the user to switch easily and rapidly between the two modes of exercise without having to obtain a different piece of exercise apparatus. The devices taught by these patents have not proven to be entirely satisfactory in use. Specifically, both patents teach the use of loops only, so that a person using the fitness rope for jumprope purposes may find use of the loop as a jumprope handle uncomfortable and/or disconcerting.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fitness rope which is convertible between a jumprope and a stretch rope.
Another object is to provide such a fitness rope wherein handles are used for jumprope exercises and loops are used for stretch rope exercises.
It is a further object to provide such a fitness rope which is well adapted and comfortable for use as both a jumprope and a stretch rope.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a fitness rope which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, maintain and use.